Friends Fear Chuck Norris ‘Pushed Himself Too Hard’ Before Death, ‘Rarely Took a Day Off’ From the Gym (Exclusive)

Chuck Norris fans aren’t the only ones struggling to come to terms with his sudden death.

His loved ones are, too.

“It’s very hard for his friends to accept that he’s gone,” a source tells the National Enquirer. “Even though he was in his 80s and had an incredibly full life, there’s still this feeling that he passed before his time.”

The Walker, Texas Ranger star, 86, tragically passed away on Thursday, March 19 following an emergency hospitalization in Hawaii.

“His friends are in shock and looking for answers and questioning if maybe he pushed himself too hard,” says the source. “There’s no denying he was absolutely relentless in the gym. The guy rarely took a day off.”

A six-time world karate champion, Norris “took so much pride” in his “tough guy” persona, shares the source. In the months leading up to his death, the martial arts legend was still posting photos and videos of his workouts to Instagram.

“Fans absolutely loved seeing him still out there pumping iron at his age and he loved living up to their expectations,” adds the source “He was happiest pushing himself and his limits and he lived life on his own terms right to the end, which is the only way he would have wanted things.”

That doesn’t make it any easier, though, to accept that Norris is no longer here.

“His friends are grieving and looking for something to blame,” admits the source. “But anyone who really knew him will tell you that even if they’d tried to get him to slow down, he never would have listened.”